Shambara - The Dravidian King It Took The Aryans 40 Years To Defeat!

 

Disclaimer: Some facts and figures might have been exaggerated, others downplayed and few might have been mythologized. Please keep in mind the poet's bias while reading the following verses from Rig Veda.

Shambara was one of the mighty kings of the black skinned people who lived in India before the arrival of Indo-Aryans. He's said to have lived in the mountains, and it's claimed by Rig Veda that it took 40 years for the Indo-Aryans to conquer his territory.

According to a paper, Shambara was a Munda / proto-Munda king and the mountain has been identified as Marang Buru (Parasnath) Mountain

in present day Giridih district, Jharkhand, India.

Let's go ahead and enjoy the verses!

 Rig Veda 6.31.4

You have destroyed the 100 impregnable cities of the Dasyu, Shambara, when sagacious Indra, you, who are brought by the libation, have bestowed in your liberality riches upon Divodasa presenting to you libations, and upon Bharadvaja hymning your praise.

Commentary by Sayanacharya: Dasyu, Shambara: Shambara is an Asura. Dasyu and Asura appear to be synonymous.

 

Rig Veda 4.16.13

You have subjugated Pipru and the mighty Mrigaya for the sake of Rijishvan, the son of Vidathin, you have slain the fifty thousand Krishnas (black people); and, as old age (destroys) life, you have demolished the cities (of Shambara).

Commentary by Sayanacharya: Mrigaya = name of an asura; Vidathin = a raja; fifty thousand Krishnas = Rakshasas of a black colour, Krishna Varnani Rakshasamsi.

 

Rig Veda 6.47.2

The savoury Soma, drunk on this occasion, has been most exhilarating; by drinking of it Indra has been elevated to the slaying of Vritra, and he had destroyed the numerous hosts of Shambara and the 99 cities.

 

Rig Veda 2.12.11

He, who discovered Shambara dwelling in the mountains for 40 years; who slew Ahi, growing in strength, and the sleeping son of Danu; he, men, is Indra.

 

Rig Veda 8.96.16

As soon as you were born, Indra, you were an enemy to those seven who had no enemy; you recovered the heavens and earth when concealed (in darkness); you cause joy to the mighty worlds.

Commentary by Sayanacharya: Thoses even who had no enemy: Krishna, Vritra, Namuchi, Shambara etc.; or, you were an enemy to those who had no enemy, on behalf of the seven sages (the Angirasas). i.e., inorder to recover their cows.

 

Rig Veda 6.18.13

That exploit is celebrated in the present day (which you have) achieved for Kutsa, for Ayu, for Atithigvave; to him you have given many thousands (of riches), and you have quickly elevated Turvayana over the earth by your power.

Commentary by Sayanacharya: Turvayana: same as Divodasa, to whom Indra gave the spoils of Shambara.

 

Rig Veda 3.47.4

They who encouraged you, Maghavan, to slay Ahi, who (aided you) in the conflict with Shambara, and in the recovery of the cattle, and who, possessed of wisdom, contribute verily to your exhilaration, with them, the troop of the Maruts, do you Indra, drink the Soma.

 

Rig Veda 5.29.6

Whereupon Maghavan has destroyed with his thunderbolt at once his (Shambara's) ninety and nine cities; the Maruts glorifying Indra in a common dwelling with the Triṣṭubh hymn, he destroyed the bright (city of the asura).

 

Rig Veda 6.26.3

You have animated the sage with (the hope of) obtaining food; you have cut to pieces Shushna for Kutsa, the donor of the oblation; you have struck off the head (of Shambara), imagining himself invulnerable, intending to give plural asure to Atithigvan.

 

Rig Veda 2.19.6

The radiant Indra subjected to Kutsa, his charioteer, (the asuras), Shushna, Ashusha, and Kuyava; and, for the sake of Divodasa, demolished the 99 cities of Shambara.

Commentary by Sayanacharya: Ashusha, he who is not to be dried up; perhaps, an epithet of Shushna, an Asura.

 

Rig Veda 8.97.14

Indra, mightiest Shakra, you know how to destroy those cities (of Shambara) by your strength at you allworlds tremble, thunderer - heaven and earth (tremble) with fear.

 

Rig Veda 1.103.8

Inasmuch, Indra, as you have slain Shushna, Pipru, Kuyava and Vritra, and destroyed the cities of Shambara, therefore may Mitra, Varuṇa, Aditi - ocean, earth, and heaven, grant us that (which we desire).

 

Rig Veda 7.99.5

Indra and Vishnu, you have demolished the 99 strong cities of Shambara; you have slain atonce, without resistance, the 100 thousand heroes of the Asura Varcin.

 

Rig Veda 1.112.14

With those aids by which you defended the mighty and hospitable Divodasa, (when, having undertaken) the death of Shambara, he hid himself in the water (through fear of the asuras); by which you protected Trasadasyu in war; with them, Ashvins, come willingly hither.

Commentary by Sayanacharya: Divodasa was a king; he is called atithigva, the cherisher of guests (atithi); Trasadasyu was the son of Purukutsa.

 

Rig Veda 2.14.6

Priests, present the Soma to him who, with the adamantine (thuderbolt), demolished the 100 ancient cities of Shambara, and cast down the hundred thousand (descendants) of Varcin.

Commentary by Sayanacharya: Varcin, an asura who reviled Indra and was consequently destroyed, with all his children and dependants.

 

Rig Veda 4.26.3

Exhilarated (by the Soma beverage) I have destroyed the 99 cities of Shambara, the hundredth I gave to be occupied by Divodasa when I protected him, Atithigva, at his sacrifice.

 

Rig Veda 1.54.6

You have protected Narya, Turvasha, Yadu and Turviti, of the face of Vayya; you have protected their chariots and horses in the unavoidable engagement; you have demolished ninety-nine cities (of Shambara).

Commentary by Sayanacharya: Turvasha may be Turvasu, son of Yayati, since another son of Yayati, Yadu is also named. Turviti is a Rishi.

 

Rig Veda 1.59.6

I extol the greatness of that showerer of rain whom men celebrate as the slayer of Vritra; the Agni, Vaishvanara, slew the stealer (of the waters) and sent them down (upon earth), and clove the (obstructing) cloud.

 

Rig Veda 6.47.22

Prastoka has given to your worshipper, Indra, ten purses of gold, and ten horses, and we have accepted this treasure from Divodasa, the spoil won by Atithigva from Shambara.

 

Rig Veda 6.26.5

Indra, who are the subduer (of foes), you have achieved a glorious (deed), inasmuch as you have scatered, hero, the hundreds and thousands (of the host of Shambara), have slain the Dasyu Shambara (when issuing) from the mountain, and have protected Divodasa with marvellous protections.

 

Rig Veda 1.101.2

We invoke to be our friend, Indra, who is attended by the Maruts; he who, with increasing wrath, slew the mutilated Vritra and Shambara, and the unrighteous Pipru, and who extirpated the unabsorbable Shushna.

Commentary by Sayanacharya: Shambara and Pipru are Asuras; Pipru = avratam, not performing or opposing vratas, religious rites; ashusham shushnam = the dryer up, i.e. who cannot be absorbed.

 

Rig Veda 6.47.21

Indra, becoming manifest from his abode (in the firmament), dissipates, day by day, the resembling glooms, (so that he may distinguish) the other portion, (or the day); and the showerer has slain the two wealth-seeking Dasas, Varcin and Shambara, in (the country of) Udavraja.

 

Rig Veda 1.130.7

For Pur, the giver of offerings, for the mighty Divodasa, you, Indra, the dancer (with delight in battle), have destroyed 90 cities; dancer (in battle), you have destroyed them with (your thunderbolt), for (the sake of) the giver of offerings. For (the sake of) Atithigva, the fierce (indra) hurled Shambara from off the mountain bestowing (uon the prince) immense treasure, (acquired) by (his) prowess; all kinds of wealth (acquired) by (his) prowess.

 

Rig Veda 6.18.8

He who is never perplexed, who is no engenderer of that which is in vain, whose name is renowned, who promptly (exerts himself) for the overturning of the cities (of the asuras), and for the destruction (of his foes); you, (Indra), have indeed slain Cumuri, Dhuni, Pipru, Shambara, and Shushna.

 

Rig Veda 1.51.6

You have defended Kutsa in fatal fights with Shushna; you have destroyed Shambara in defence of Atithigva; you have trodden with your foot upon the great Arbuda; from remote times were you born for the destruction of oppressors.

Commentary by Sayanacharya: Shushna, Shambara and Arbuda are asuras. Kutsa is a Rishi; Atithigva = hospitable, Divodasa.

 

Rig Veda 9.61.2

(Which overturned) the cities in a moment, and for the sake of the devout Divodasa (subdued) Shambara, and then that Turvasha and Yadu.

 

Rig Veda 4.30.14

You have slain the Dasa Shambara, the son Kulitara hurling him off the huge mountain.

 

Rig Veda 1.54.4

You have shaken the summit of the spacious heaven; you have slain Shambara by your resolute self; you have hurled with exulting and determined mind the sharp and bright-rayed thunderbolt against assembled Asuras.

 

Rig Veda 7.18.20

Your favours, Indra, and your bounties, whether old or new, cannot be counted like the (recurring) dawn; you have slain Devaka, the son of Manyamana, and of thine own will, has cast down Shambara from thevast (mountain).

 

Rig Veda 6.43.1

This Soma, in the exhilaration of which it is known that you had subdued Shambara for (the sake of) Divodasa, is poured out, Indra, for you; drink.

 

Casteism and racism in India is much deeper than we think it is

Now it makes sense why Brahmins and their braindead parrots deny Aryan migration, despite overwhelming amount of evidence confirming it

 

How As A Shudra, You Can Become A Brahmin (Spoiler: You Can't)

 

These days, this particular verse is very popular among Hindu apologists (and their parrots). And it's quoted out of context (obviously), which makes it's extremely misleading. It's funny to see Hindu apologists resenting Muslims and ironically using the same techniques as Muslim apologists (deception, changing the meaning of verse, quoting it out of context). Anyways, let's get to the topic.

 

Manu 10.65

The Shudra attains the position of the Brahmin and the Brahmin sinks to the position of the Shudra. The same should be understood to be the case with the offspring of the Kshatriya or of the Vaishya.

The immediate previous verse, Manu Smriti 10.64 says the following -

Manu 10.64

If the child born from a Shudra woman to a Brahmin goes on being wedded to a superior person — the inferior attains the superior caste, within the seventh generation.

Explanation: If the daughter of a Shudra female from a Brahmin and all their female descendants marry Brahmins, the offspring of the sixth female descendant of the original couple will become a Brahmin. Simarly, the children of Brahmin females will become Shudra if they marry Shudra males and keep repeating the procedure for 7 generations.

 

Conclusion: You, the Shudra can never become a Brahmin yourself. But you can console yourself with the fact that your maternal great grandchildren could (If your daughter, her daugher and subsequent daughters in the lineage upto 7th generation, all agree to sign up for the pain, that is).

You would be dead anyways. You could enjoy the show from the heaven (or hell, since it is more likely for sinful Shudras) though. I leave it to your wisdom to decide how practical this scheme is and whether you want your daughters to sign up for it.

And if you belong to a Varnasankar Jati (Mixed Caste) like Kayastha, Yadav, Kurmi etc., you shouldn't even bother. Go home and sleep.

Sati Is A 101% Pure Hindu Practice, Not A "Cultural" Thing - Sati In Hindu Scriptures

 

Dharmashastras

Parashar 4.28 - A widow, who immolates herself on the same funeral pile with her deceased husband, resides in heaven for ten millions of years, which is the number of hairs on the human body.

Brihaspati 24.11 - A wife is considered half the body (of her husband), equally sharing the result of his good or wicked deeds; whether she ascends the pile after him, or chooses to survive him leading a virtuous life, she promotes the welfare of her husband.

Vishnu 25.14 - After the death of her husband, to preserve her chastity, or to ascend the pile after him.

Atri 1.209 - The woman, who falls down from the funeral pyre, [of her husband], or who gets no menses on account of a disease, becomes purified by a Prajapatya and feeding ten Brahmanas.

Daksha 4.19 - A woman, who, after the demise of her husband, ascends the funeral pyre, becomes of good conduct and lives gloriously in the celestial region.

 

Itihasas

Ramayan 2.66.12 - Kaushalya: "Today itself, I too in devotion to my husband, will meet my appointed end. I shall enter the fire, duly embracing this body of my husband."

Mahabharat 16.7.24 - 26 - The four wives of that heroic son of Sura ascended the funeral pyre and were consumed with the body of their lord. All of them attained to those regions of felicity which were his.The son of Pandu burnt the body of his uncle together with those four wives of his, using diverse kinds of scents and perfumed wood. As the funeral pyre blazed up, a loud sound was heard of the burning wood and other combustible materials, along with the clear chant of Samans and the wailing of the citizens and others who witnessed the rite.

Mahabharat 1.95.63 - 64 - And (one day) Pandu, beholding Madri decked with ornaments, had his desire kindled. And, as soon as he touched her, he died. Madri ascended the funeral pyre with her lord.

Mahabharat 1.126.30 - His wife Madri, beholding him placed in the funeral pyre and about to be consumed, herself ascended the same pyre, and sacrificing her life thus, hath gone with her lord to the region reserved for chaste wives.

Mahabharat 1.125.33 - Vaisampayana continued, ‘Having said this, the daughter of the king of Madras, the wedded wife of Pandu, ascended the funeral pyre of her lord, that bull among men.

 

Puranas

Devi Bhagavatam 6.25.35 - 50 - Once Madri, full of youth and beauty, was staying alone in a solitary place and Pandu seeing her embraced her and due to the curse, died. When the funeral pyre was ablaze, the chaste Madri entered into the fire and died a Sati.

Devi Bhagavatam 2.6.53 - 71 - Then those Munis, practising great vows, knew that Pandu was dead and performed duly, on the banks of the Ganges, the ceremony of burning the dead. At that time Madri gave over to Kunti the charge of her two sons and followed the Sati practice along with her husband to go to Satyaloka.

Agni Purana 222.19 - 23 - The widow who practices self-control and austerities after the death of her husband, goes to heaven…the widow who burns herself on the same funeral pire wth her husband also goes to heaven.

Kurma Purana 2.34.108 - 109 - A woman who enters the funeral pyre along with her husband, shall uplift him even if is a Brahmana-slayer, an ungrateful fellow or one defiled by great sins. learned men know this to be the greatest expiation for women.

Vishnu Purana 5.38.1 - 11 - The 8 queens of Krishna, who have been named, with Rukmini at their head, embraced the body of Hari, and entered the funeral fire. Revati also embracing the corpse of Rama, entered the blazing pile, which was cool to her, happy in contact with her lord. Hearing these events, Ugrasena and Anakadundubhi, with Devaki and Rohini, committed themselves to the flames.

Shiva Purana, KotiRudra Samhita 4.10.23 - 24 - The Brahmin lady desirous of entering the pyre in order to follow her husband cursed the Raksasa king. The chaste lady entered fire.

Srimad Bhagavatam 4.28.50 - She then prepared a blazing fire with firewood and placed the dead body of her husband upon it. When this was finished, she lamented severely and prepared herself to perish in the fire with her husband.

Srimad Bhagavatam 9.9.36 - After this way cursing Mitrasaha [‘indulgent toward friends’ or Saudâsa] she, being devoted to be with her husband, found her destination by stepping into the fire that burned the bones of her husband.

Srimad Bhagavatam 11.31.19 - 20 - Tormented by separation from the Lord, His parents gave up their lives at that very spot. My dear Parīkṣit, the wives of the Yādavas then climbed onto the funeral pyres, embracing their dead husbands. The wives of Lord Balarāma also entered the fire and embraced His body, and Vasudeva’s wives entered his fire and embraced his body. The daughters-in-law of Lord Hari entered the funeral fires of their respective husbands, headed by Pradyumna. And Rukmiṇī and the other wives of Lord Kṛṣṇa — whose hearts were completely absorbed in Him — entered His fire.

Garuda Purana 1.107.29 - A Wife who dies in the company of her husband shall remain in heaven as many years as there are hairs on his person.

Garuda Purana 2.4.88 - 97 - A woman who has been chaste and faithful to her husband should mount on the pyre after bowing to her (deceased) husband before the funeral rites start. One who gets away from the pyre due to fainting should observe the vow named prajapatya. One who ascends the pyre and follows up her husband stays in heaven for a period equal to the number of hair on the body, three and a half crore. Just as the snake-charmer takes out the snake from the hole so also she takes out her husband from hell and enjoys with him in paradise. She who ascends the pyre goes to heaven. She is praised by the celestial nymphs and enjoys with her husband so long as the fourteen Indras rule in heaven successively. Even if the man has killed a brahmana or a friend or any other person of noble conduct he is purified of sins by his wife who ascends his pyre. A woman who enters fire after the death of her husband prospers in the heaven like Arundhati. Until and unless the woman burns herself after her husband’s death she is never released from the bond of her sex. A woman who follows her husband purifies the three families on her mother’s side, the three families on her father’s side and the three families on her husband’s side.

Garuda Purana 2.40 - Not knowing my duty I did not serve my husband, nor after his death enter the fire. Having become widowed I performed no austerities;–O Dweller in the Body, make reparation for whatever you have done!

Garuda Purana 10.42 - When a woman burns her body with her husband’s, the fire burns her limbs only, but does not afflict her soul.

Garuda Purana 10.45-46 - Likewise she who has joined her husband is never burnt. her inner soul becomes unified with that of her husband, by death. The woman who does not burn herself in the fire, on her husband’s death, is certainly never released from feminine bodies.

Garuda Purana 10.48 - The Woman who ascends the funeral pyre, when her husband is dead, becomes equal to Arundhati, and attains the heaven. [50] She who goes with her husband purifies three families her mother’s, her father’s, and that into which she was given.

Brahma Purana Gautami Mahatmya 10.75 - Dying Immediately after the husband is the greatest duty of women. This is the path laid down in the Vedas. [77] The woman who follows her husband shall stay in heaven for as many years as there are hairs in a man’s body, viz. three and a half crores of years.

Brahmanda Purana 2.3.30.39 - By entering this burning pyre, I will be slightly after a long time, the dear guest of my husband in the world of the Pitrs (Manes)[41] After saying these words with firm decision, Renuka decided to follow her husband by entering the fire.

Vamana Purana 46.4 - 22 - A king died childless, and his wife wept bitterly and embraced his corpse until a bird told her that she would have seven sons if she mounted her husband’s funeral pyre. She obeyed, and as she entered the fire the king arose and flew into the sky with her, by his power of yoga. When the queen entered her fertile period the king felt it his duty not to neglect her. He made love to her in the air, and his seed fell down from the sky. Then he went with her to the world of Brahma to dwell eternally. But the wives of the Seven Sages saw the cloud like seed falling from the sky into a flower, and they thought it was Soma. Wishing to be young forever, they bathed ritually, honoured their own husbands, and drank the king’s seed. The moment that they drank it [having thus unconsciously violated their chastity] they lost their holy lustre, and all their husbands abandoned them immediately as sinners. They gave birth to the seven Maruts (Storm Gods).

Padma Purana 5.106.60 - Having raised her, Narada said to the pure one about her dead (husband): ”O innocent one of large eyes, please go to your husband. O you of large eyes, your husband, abandoned by his kinsmen, is dead. O auspicious one, you should not weep. Enter fire (i.e. funeral pyre of your husband).”[65-68] If you will go to (i.e. desire to enter) fire there, then do not weep . O daughter, if you have committed a sin like enjoying another man (than your husband) then make an expiation to purify that. On entering into the fire your minor sins will perish.

Padma Purana 6.252.89 - 90 - Rukmaputri with Pradyumna, Usa with Aniruddha and all Yadava ladies honoured the bodies of their husbands and entered fire.

Skanda Purana 3.1.12.115 - 116 - Ere long thereafter, King Manojava abandoned his body and went to the world of Siva, due to the power of that Tirtha. O Brahmanas, his wife Sumitra embraced his body then and ascended his funeral pyre. She too attained the same world.

Skanda Purana 5.1.53.38 - 41 - The beautiful woman gathered fuel and twigs together and kindled the funeral pyre which she ascended along with her husband. She was mentally pleased in doing so.

Skanda Purana 3.2.7.53 - 56 - A chaste woman who follows her husband from the house to the cremation ground for self-immolation undoubtedly attains the merit of a horse-sacrifice at every step. Just as a snake-catcher forcibly retrieves a snake from its hole, so also a chaste woman retrieves her husband from the messengers of Yama and goes to heave. On seeing a chaste woman the messengers of Yama flee. On seeing the splendour of a chaste woman even the sun feels burning sensation, even the fire gets burnt and all other luminaries begin to tremble. A chaste woman sportingly enjoys heavenly pleasures along with her husband for as many crores and ten thousand years as there are hairs on her body.

Narada Purana, Uttarabhaga 16.85 - 89 - She sold off her bangle and brought a great deal of fuel. She prepared the funeral pyre. After placing her dead husband on it, she poured ghee over the pyre (fuel). She too climbed on the funeral pyre joining her face to his face, her heart near his heart and O gentle lady, her buttocks near his buttocks. With her foot she dragged the fire. The auspicious lady of charming limbs set fire to the ailing body of the husband along with her body. As the fire blazed brightly, she cast off her body and went to the world of the Devas taking her husband with her after annihilating many of his sins by means of her holy rites very difficult to be performed.

Narada Purana, Uttarabhaga 30.87 - With a great deal of merits the woman goes to the region of Visnu alongwith her husband if her body is cremated alongwith him. But a woman greedy of wealth and of her body (?) attains Yama’s torture and the affliction of being born in base wombs of lower species.

Vamana Purana 46.51 - 53 - Then after a long time that beloved slender-bodied queen of the king had pregnancy from that best of kings. During the pregnancy of the wife the king died. She, loyal to her husband, while desiring to get upon (the funeral pyre of) her husband, was prevented by the ministers, but could not be stopped.

Vishnu Purana 3.18.51 - 55 - It is related that there was formerly a king named Śatadhanu, whose wife Śaivyá was a woman of great virtue. She was devoted to her husband, benevolent, sincere, pure, adorned with every female excellence, with humility, and discretion…After a time the Rájá, triumphant over his enemies, died; and the princess ascended the funeral pile of her husband.

Narada Purana 1.7.52 - O blessed princess! The following (ladies) do not ascend funeral pyre, viz. those with infant children (depending on them), pregnant women, those whose monthly course has not yet started and women in the menses.

Shiva Purana, Satarudra Samhita 3, Chapter 26, verses 38 - 51 - O my beloved, when the phallic image is smashed and burnt I do not desire to live. I am telling you the truth. There is no doubt in this. O gentle lady, prepare a pyre for me immediately through your servants. With my mind fixed in Śiva, I shall enter the fire… Then the merchant who was only Śiva himself went round the blazing fire. Desirous of knowing her intentions he entered the fire firmly… Taking the gemset bangle I had taken the pledge that I shall be the avowed wife of this merchant for three days… As she was going to jump in the fire with her mind fixed in his feet, Śiva, the soul of the universe, appeared in front and stopped her.

Manusmriti

 1. God said the duty of a Shudra is to serve the upper varnas faithfully with devotion and without grumbling. (Manu 1-91) Manu is not satisfied with this. He wants this servile status of the Shudras to be expressed in the names and surnames of persons belonging to that community. Manu says
2. A hundred year old Kshatriya must treat a ten year old Brahmin boy as his father. (Manu 11-135)
3. The Brahmin should never invite persons of other varnas for food. In case, the latter begs the Brahmin for food, the Brahmin may give them some left-over. Even these left-over must be served not by the Brahmin but by his servants outside the house. (Manu II2).
4. He who instructs Shudra pupils and he whose teacher is a Shudra shall become disqualified for being invited to a shradha. (Manu III. 156.)
5. A Shudra is unfit of receive education. The upper varnas should not impart education or give advice to a Shudra.It is not necessary that the Shudra should know the laws and codes and hence need not be taught. Violators will go to as amrita hell. (Manu IV-78 to 81)
6. “Let him not dwell in a country where the rulers are Shudras.” (Manu IV. 61)
7. He must never read the Vedas in the presence of the Shudras. (Manu IV. 99.)
8. A Brahmana who is only a Brahman by decent i.e., one who has neither studied nor performed any other act required by the Vedas may, at the king’s pleasure, interpret the law to him i.e., act as the judge, but never a Shudra (however learned he may be). (Manu VIII. 20.)
9. The Kingdom of that monarch, who looks on while a Shudra settles the law, will sink low like a cow in the morass. (Manu VIII. 21.)
10. A Brahmin can order a Shudra to serve him without any remuneration because the Shudra is created by Brahma to serve the Brahmins.
11. A Shudra who insults a twice born man with gross invectives shall have his tongue cut out; for he is of low origin. (Manu VIII. 270.)
12. If he mentions the names and castes of the (twice born) with contumely, an iron nail, ten fingers long, shall be thrust red hot into his mouth. (Manu VIII. 271.)
13. If a Shudra arrogantly presumes to preach religion to Brahmins, the king shall have poured burning oil in his mouth and ears. Manu VIII. 272.)
14. A Shudra who has an intercourse with a woman of the higher caste guarded or unguarded shall be punished n the following manner; if she was unguarded, he loses the offending part; if she was guarded then he should be put to death and his property confiscated.” (Manu VIII. 374.)
15. A Brahman may compel a Shudra, whether bought or unbought, to do servile work for he is created by the creator to be the slave of a Brahmana. (Manu VIII. 413.)
16. No Shudra should have property of his own, He should have nothing of his own. The existence of a wealthy Shudra is bad for the Brahmins. A Brahman may take possession of the goods of a Shudra. (ManuVIII-417 & X129)
17. A Brahman may seize without hesitation, if he be in distress for his subsistence, the goods of his Shudra. The Shudra can have only one occupation. This is one of the inexorable laws of Manu. says Manu. (Manu VIII. 417)
18. 8.369. A damsel who pollutes (another) damsel must be fined two hundred (panas), pay the double of her (nuptial) fee, and receive ten (lashes with a) rod.
19. 8.370. But a woman who pollutes a damsel shall instantly have (her head) shaved or two fingers cut off, and be made to ride (through the town) on a donkey.
20. 11.67. Giving pain to a Brahmana (by a blow), smelling at things which ought not to be smelt at, or at spirituous liquor, cheating, and an unnatural offence with a man, are declared to cause the loss of caste (Gatibhramsa)

Don't tell this to Shudras!

 Atri Smriti 1.4 - 12

Sage Atri, after rinsing his mouth with waters from all the sacred sites, bowed to all gods and recited all the suktas, and in accordance with all the shastras, he created this Dharmashastra, which destroys all the sins and doubts, and is beneficial to the four Varnas.

Even those who commit sins deliberately and criticize Dharma will be exempted from all of their sins, just by listening to this Dharmashastra. Therefore, one must thoroughly research this Dharmashastra with those who are adept in Vedas and should also preach to their disciples who possess excellent character.

Never reveal the contents of this Dharmashastra to Shudras, wicked Brahmins, stupid people, those who have taken birth in lower castes and those with bad behaviour. Best of Brahmins should never impart this knowledge to these 5 kinds of people.

If a teacher has taught a student even one letter, then there's no object on this earth that a student may give to him and be free of the debt he owes to the teacher. The student who doesn't respect the teacher who taught him one letter (didn't see this coming lol), gets reborn as dog for the next 100 births! And after suffering the life of dogs for 100 births, he takes birth in Chandal caste!

Those who study vedas but don't study other scriptures are born as animals in the next 21 births!

Men who perform their duties and never step a foot on the evil path are respected, even if they live at a distance.

 

Origin Of Nishad & Pardhi Caste According To Hinduism

 

Ushana 1.36 - 37

A child born from married couple of a Brahmin male & a Shudra female is of the Pardhi caste. Nishads have the same origin.

Origin Of Jaiswal (Kalal), Rangrez & Pulind Caste According To Hinduism

 

Ushana 1.16 - 18

A child born from a Vaishya male to a Kshatriya female is of the Pulind caste. They kill troublesome animals & eat their meat.

A child born from a Shudra male to a Kshatriya female is of the Jaiswal caste. They brew alcoholic beverages & sell them. They also sell sweets.

A child born from a Jaiswal male to a Kshatriya female is of the Rangrez caste.

A child born from illicit sex between a Shudra male and a Kshatriya female is also of the Rangrez caste.

Origin Of Gadaria, Nat & Charmopjeevi Caste According To Hinduism

 

Ushana 1.16 - 18

A child born from a Rangrez male to a Vaishya female is of the Nat caste. They are singers and dancers.

A child born from a Shudra male to a Vaishya female is of the Gadaria caste. They tame animals like Cows, Buffalos & Goats. They make and sell milk products like curd, ghee etc.

A child born from a Gadaria male to a Brahmin female is of the Charmopjeevi caste. Their proffesion is selling the skinning various animals and selling their skin.

Origin Of Darji & Rasoia Caste According To Hinduism

 

Ushana 1.22

A child born from a Gadaria male to a Kshatriya female is of the Darji caste. The same is the origin of the caste of cooks.

Origin Of Ambastha Caste According To Hindu Scriptures

 

Ushana 1.31

A child born from married couple of a Brahmin male & a Vaishya female is of the Ambastha caste.

Origin Of Sundi Caste According To Hinduism

 

Ushana 1.41

A child born from illicit sex between a Brahmin male & a Shudra female is of the Sundi (Shundik) Caste.

 

Origin Of Mistry (Mason) Caste & Alternate Origin Of Darji Caste According To Hinduism

 

Ushana 1.42 - 43

A child born from married couple of a Vaishya male & a Shudra female is of the Darji (Tailor) caste.

A child born from a Darji male to a Brahmin female is of the Mistry (Mason) caste. Their proffesion involves the works of stones and construction of buildings.

Origin Of Sonar, Dhobi & Thathera Caste According To Hinduism

 

Ushana 1.14 - 15

A child born from a Kori male & a Brahmin female is of the Thathera (Utensil makers) caste. A child born from a Kori male & a Kshatriya female is of the Sonar (Goldsmith) caste.

A child born from a Sonar male & a Kshatriya female is of the Dhobi (Launderer) caste. They are untouchables.

 

 

 

Ushana Smriti (Hindi) Link -

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RgWcgSQWCYZPBDWMWTtsqn0LU1Y2MpZJ/view

Origin Of Kori (Julaha), Shvapach & Sheelak Caste According To Hinduism

 

Ushana 1.11 - 13

A child born from a Chandal male to a Vaishya female is of the Shvapach caste. People of this caste eat the meat of dogs.

A child born from a Vaishya male to a Kshatriya female is of the Kori (Weaver) caste. Those of these whose proffession is with silk are known as Sheelak.

 

 

 

Ushana Smriti (Hindi) Link -

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RgWcgSQWCYZPBDWMWTtsqn0LU1Y2MpZJ/view

Origin Of Dom, Bhaat & Rathkaar Caste According To Hinduism

 

Ushana 1.5 - 10

A child born from illicit sex between a Kshatriya male & a Brahmin female is of the Rathkaar (Chariot Maker) Caste. A child born to a Vaishya male & a Brahmin female is of the Magadh (Bhaat) caste.

A child born to a Shudra male & a Brahmin female is of the Chandal (Dom/Sweeper) caste. The ornaments of this caste are of mercury & iron. The people of this castes must pick the excreta of villagers before evening, and must not return to the village after sunset, but must reside in a certain direction out of the village.

All of the people of this caste must remain at one designated place & must be killed if they roam out of that place.

 

 

 

Ushana Smriti (Hindi) Link -

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RgWcgSQWCYZPBDWMWTtsqn0LU1Y2MpZJ/view

Origin Of Chamar, Soot & Venuka Caste According To Hinduism

 

Ushana 1.3 - 4

A child born from married couple of a Kshatriya male & a Brahmin female is of the Soot caste. A child born to a Soot male & a Brahmin female is of the Venuka (Vaad) caste.

A child born from a Soot male & a Kshatriya female is of the Chamar caste.

 

 

 

Ushana Smriti (Hindi) Link -

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RgWcgSQWCYZPBDWMWTtsqn0LU1Y2MpZJ/view

Origin Of Kayastha, Naayi & Kumhar Caste According To Hinduism

 

Ushana 1.32 - 35

A child born from illicit sex between a Brahmin male & a Vaishya female is of the Kumhar (Potter) Caste. The livelihood of Kumhars is from making utensils from soil or potteries.

Naayi (Barbers) have the same origin, who trim hairs during birth & death events. These are called Naapits because of trimming hairs above Naabhi (navel).

When these roam hither and thither, they're called Kayasthas. Kayasthas are named so because of their agility like a Kaak (crow), cruelty like Yamraaj (god of death) and cutting skills like Sthapati (carpenter). To attribute these 3 qualities, the first alphabets of these words are taken to refer to Kayasthas.

 

 

 

Ushana Smriti (Hindi) Link -

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RgWcgSQWCYZPBDWMWTtsqn0LU1Y2MpZJ/view

Origin Of Teli Caste According To Hinduism

Ushana 1.22

A child born from illicit sex between a Shudra male & a Vaishya female is of the Teli Caste. The livelihood of Telis is from extracting seed oils & from salt.

 

 

 

Ushana Smriti (Hindi) Link -

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RgWcgSQWCYZPBDWMWTtsqn0LU1Y2MpZJ/view

Punishment for eating/mingling with lower castes according to Hinduism

 Parashar Smriti 4.8 - 12

Having unwillingly eaten or dealt with a person of low caste, one would remain equally degraded for a fortnight, month, two months, six months or a year.

A fast of 3 days should be observed for the first fortnight, a Kriccha Vrat should be performed for the second, a Kriccha Santapana Vrat should be performed for the third, a Dasharatra Vrat for the fourth, a Paraka Vrat for the fifth, a Chandrayana Vrat for the sixth, two Chandrayana Vrats for the seventh and a Kriccha Vrat covering a period of six months for the eighth fortnight, of such defiling contact.

The penitent should make as many gifts of gold to Brahmins as the number of fortnights he might have lived in the company of a person of low caste person.

Al-Biruni a Persian scholar who came to the subcontinent in 1017, wrote this about Sati

 If a wife loses her husband by death, she cannot marry another man. She has only to choose between two things-either to remain a widow as long as she lives or to burn herself; and the latter eventuality is considered the preferable, because as a widow she is ill-treated as long as she lives. As regards the wives of the kings, they are in the habit of burning them, whether they wish it or not, by which they desire to prevent any of them by chance committing something unworthy of the illustrious husband. They make an exception only for women of advanced years and for those who have children, for the son is the responsible protector of his mother.

He wrote this in his book, 'Taḥqīq mā li-l-Hind'.

So they have been practicing sati for at least a thousand years and then they say it was because of Muslims.

 

Al biruni also mentions in his book

1. Indian society was cast-ridden.
2. Several evil prac­tices like child marriage, prohibition of widow marriage, ‘Sati’ existed in the Hindu society.
3. He does not mention the system of dowry but he writes about the 'StreeDhan' which the relatives of girls present to her in-laws.
4. The entire country was divided into small states which occasionally used to quarrel among themselves. These states were jealous of each other and constantly engaged in fights against one another. Malwa, Sindh, Kannauj and Kashmir were prominent states among them.
5. The feeling of nationalism was almost absent.
6. The Hindus of the rural regions worshipped many gods and goddesses.
7. Idol worship was prevalent. Brahmans had the sole privilege of reading the Hindu scriptures. Only the Brahmans had the right to attain salvation.

He even mentions that if a shudra utters a word from vedas, his tongue be cut off.

Brhatsamhita by Varahamihira is a much older and detailed record of sati and jauhar, caste discrimination and segregation, etc. Also lists a few recipes

 

Based Periyar's ideas on religion and God that were moulded by his upbringing in a society split along caste and religion lines.

 

Periyar believed that the idea of God was created by the privileged class to enslave and oppress the underclass. He thought that religion was a tool of oppression and that the lower classes were maintained in a state of ignorance and servitude by religious rituals and beliefs.

He said that there was no evidence from science to prove the existence of God and that people's belief in him was just the result of superstition and blind faith. The training that occurs in people to accept the existence of God from the moment they are born, in his opinion, is continued by religious organisations and activities.

In addition, Periyar criticised the caste system and the way Dalits and other marginalised groups were victimised in the name of religion. He believed that the caste system resulted from religious convictions and that caste prejudice and the caste system itself were mechanisms used to uphold the servitude of the lower castes.

Periyar's experiences as a social activist and politician in India who fought for the rights of underprivileged groups shaped his views on God. He believed that the lower class ability to advance and be freed was significantly hampered by religion and that it was used as a tool of oppression. He advocated for a society that is logical, scientific, and egalitarian and believed that in order to achieve these goals, it is essential to reject all forms of organised religion.

Few quotes of Periyar on The idea of God

"God is a creation of man and religion is the opium of the people."

"The belief in a supernatural power has been responsible for the degeneration of the human race."

"The concept of God is the greatest hindrance to human progress."

"Religion is not only a superstition but also a great social evil."

"The idea of God is used to control the masses and keep them in line."

"The worship of God is nothing but slavery."

"There is no evidence to support the existence of a single all-powerful deity."

"The idea of God is a tool used by the powerful to maintain their position."

"The concept of God is just an illusion, a figment of human imagination."

charvaka

 

https://www.reddit.com/r/indiameme/comments/iw9jon/chadantitheist_vs_virgin_irreligious_vs_religious/g6xzf3h/

Chintu (theraynmaker): Atheism is actually a well recognised and respected facet of Ancient Indian School of thought. They were called ‘Charvaks’, ones who believed that matter is the only true reality and nothing else. Sorry, but had to burst your bubble.

ExHindu (I_can_believe_that) : Sorry, Looks like I’ve to burst your puny ego. Charvaka comes from the Sanskrit verb Charv - which means “to devour”. In mahabharata, Charvakas were thought be demons who’ve devoured their spiritual self, that’s why they’re thought to be materialistic and against vedic gods.

Here is a verse from Mahabharata (Pancham Khand): Shanti Parva, 38.22-27, 39.2-11, Gita Press.

इमे प्राहुर्द्विजाः सर्वे समारोप्य वचो मयि। धिग्भवन्तं कुनृपतिं ज्ञातिघातिनमस्तु वै।। किं तेन स्याद्धि कौन्तेय कृत्वेमं ज्ञातिसंक्षयम्। घातयित्वा गुरूंश्चैव मृतं श्रेयो न जीवितम्।। When the celebrations for the Pandavas’ victory and Yudhishthir’s coronation were going on and the brahmins stood silently after paying their obeisance (निःशब्दे च स्थिते तत्र ततो विप्रजने पुनः), Charvaka came forward and started addressing on their behalf, of course, without taking any permission. He accused Yudhishthir of fratricide and thus unfit to live

ततस्ते ब्राह्मणाः सर्वे स च राजा युधिष्ठिरः। व्रीडिताः परमोद्विग्नस्तूष्णीमासन्विशांपते।। His fearless statement stunned everybody. Yudhishthir and the Brahmins were speechless, afraid and ashamed

स पपात विनिर्दग्धस्तेजसा ब्रह्मवादिनाम्। महेन्द्राशनिनिर्दग्धः पादपोऽङ्कुरवानिव।। Regaining some crowd spirit, these Brahmins started accusing Charvaka of being a demon and a friend of Duryodhana. Eventually, they killed him with their anger.

स एष निहतः शेते ब्रह्मदण्डेन राक्षसः। चार्वाको नृपतिश्रेष्ठ मा शुचो भरतर्षभ।। Since Yudhishthir was quite evidently moved by the incident, a whole section is devoted where Lord Krishna consoles him, while demonizing Charvaka and justifying the act as preordained.

Anyone with a tiny drop of common sense wouldn’t believe that the religion, which discriminated it’s own people of lower-class for thousands of years and denied education for lower-class & women and pushed them to jump in fire after their husband’s death would be willing accept atheists who were against their gods & entire beliefs.

I mean how dumb can you religious clowns could possibly be? And as expected you’ve zero Knowledge on your own stupid religion.

Chintu (theraynmaker): I thought Mahabharata was a myth. Very convenient to cite Mahabharata when it suits you narrative ain’t it?

Anyways you are confusing it with the Charvak School of Thought which was very popular in India before the emergence of Buddhism.

A simple Wiki search will resolve your doubts.

Also I don’t identify with any religion. I think religion is organised madness.My geographical identity is Hindu though.

I’m just a seeker who’s trying to unravel the mysteries of creation and consciousness. When you have an answer to that, maybe we can have tea together.

exhindu (I_can_believe_that) : I’m not confusing anything, you’re the one shamelessly trying to defend your backward religion. You believe in a wiki article written by Hindus saying Charvaka (which is a derogatory word for Lokayatiks) was a part of Hinduism? Genius man genius.... no words.

Let me educate you more with verses from Vedas which condones violence on godless:

3 verses from the Rig Veda translated by Griffiths.

The foolish, faithless, rudely-speaking miser, without belief or sacrifice or worship, - Far far sway hath Agni chased Dasyus, and, in the cast, hath turned the godless westwards. Rig Veda 7.63.5

O Pavamanas, driving off the godless, looking on the light, Sit in the place of sacrifice. Rig Veda 9.13.9

Performing every noble work, active, augmenting Indra’s strength, Driving away the godless ones. Rig Veda 9.63.5

Now use a tiny drop of your brain, do you really they were welcoming atheists with open arms? stop being so delusional, ffs.

Now don’t tell me that Vedas are myths too, ancient scholars and priests were all educated with Vedas.

If you really wanna learn about the universe and human consciousness, learn science not some mystic dumbo-jumbo from sadhguru.

Next time I’ll share verses from Charvaka sasthi too.

Do the Dashavatars really represent Darwin's evolution?

First off we must analyse the *claims* that the Hindus make while putting this theory forward.

The Dashavatars of Vishnu are -

1 Matsya (the fish)

2 Kurma (the tortoise)

3 Varaha (the boar)

4 Narasimha (half-man half-lion)

5  Vamana (the dwarf)

6 Parashuram (Ram with the axe)

7 Ram (with the bow)

8 Krishna (son of Devaki and Vasudeva)

9 Buddha (the Enlightened One)

10 Kalki (yet to come)

The theory goes (as seen from a Hindu website) -

Lord Vishnu has taken his 1st avatar in water in the form of fish (Matsya avatar), it fulfills Darwin's theory of life evolved in water. 2nd avatar is tortoise (Kurma avatar), it is amphibian, it fulfills Darwin's theory of continuous struggle of fishes to change and adapt to amphibian life. 3rd avatar is boar (Varaha avatar, Pig), it is totally terrestrial animal. Amphibians have struggled continuously to adapt to terrestrial animal. Boar reminds us about the dinosaurs that lived on the earth 1000s of years earlier. 4th avatar is Narasimha avatar, body is human
form, and face and hands are like lion.

We shall analyse the claim one by one.

it fulfills Darwin's theory of life evolved in water.

No - it doesn't. According to Darwin, life started in a 'warm little pond'. New research tells us that life might have started on LAND in pools of condensed steam. Read - https://www.deccanherald.com/content/227119/darwin-right-life-began-land.html

Also, in the Matsya story, the fish explicitly mentions to Manu that *it would be eaten by other fishes if it were left alone in the ocean.*

Read THIS -

Without a doubt by the Ordovician Period, the vertebrate had well and truly formed and was present in many fish. Fish were also diversifying in shape, length and size. However, fish had still not yet developed jaws. Fish lacked a lower jaw. So they couldn’t consume large prey. Instead, they most likely would have fed by sucking water and debris through their mouths from the seabed and releasing the waste and water through their gills.

Did you see? *Early fishes did not have jaws and could not possibly have eaten other fishes.*

Also see this -

The earliest known life-forms are putative fossilized microorganisms, found in hydrothermal vent precipitates, that may have lived as early as 4.28 Gya (billion years ago), relatively soon after the oceans formed 4.41 Gya, and not long after the formation of the Earth 4.54 Gya.

The cycle is - Prokaryotes → Photosynthetic organisms → Eukaryotes → Multicellular organisms → Development of muscles and nerves → Development of brain → First vertebrates → First jawless fish

So to sum up, life probably started in a steam pool on land, with micro-organisms being the first living beings. Even when fishes were formed, they did NOT have jaws to eat other fishes.

Hence the Matsya story is NOT a proper representation of life's start.

The above is enough to debunk the theory, but we'll just dig a bit deeper.

The next two (Kurma and Varaha) are taken to be representative of amphibians and mammals respectively. But this isn't a good example - the first amphibians belonged to the superclass Tetrapoda, most of whom are extinct. Other worms and insects had evolved during this period. Why isn't Kurma a worm?

Same goes for Varaha -  The first mammals were the shrew-like morganucodontids, which lived with dinosaurs 210 million years ago. Other early mammals were all small in size. All modern mammals are descendants of these creatures. Why isn't Varaha like them, if he truly represents mammals?

And what about reptiles? Reptiles are TOTALLY skipped in the Dashavatars - when in fact they came BEFORE mammals, about 320 million years ago.

After this, the avatars get even weirder. We have Narsimha, half-man half lion. There is no such creature recorded in scientific knowledge. To say that it represents anything other than one's figment of imagination is absurd.

Then we have Vamana, the dwarf. Early humans were short in size, true, but they were nothing like Vamana. The earliest known human species is Homo habilis, 2.4 million years back.

Then we have Ram, Krishna and Buddha - I do not think they represent any stage in evolution. Was Ram a Neanderthal, or Krishna an Australopithecus? Maybe, since Hindu science is always spot-on. I certainly don't know!

And then we have Kalki, who is yet to come. What will he look like? Superman? Lasers coming out of his eyes? I have no idea. However see this -

Kalki is described in the Puranas as the avatar who rejuvenates existence by ending the darkest and destructive period to remove adharma and ushering in the Satya Yuga, while riding a white horse with a fiery sword.

I mean, who tf uses a sword and rides a horse in these times? 😂😂 If they had said riding a nuclear-armed spaceship, it would've been much cooler. Lol. (After all, space travel and nuclear weapons DO come from Hinduism, don't they?)

And one more thing - If you think that Vishnu has only 10 avatars, you'd be wrong. According to Bhagavata Purana, there are TWENTY-TWO avatars of Vishnu, such as the Kumaras, Narada, Kapila, Rishabha, Prithu, etc. Also Vishnu is supposed to have innumerable avatars, both direct (sakshat) and indirect (Avesa). When you put this into perspective you understand that there's really no way to know which avatar came first or last. Which means that there could well be a hundred avatars between Kurma and Varaha. Or Parshuram and Ram. That's the final nail in the coffin - when you don't know the sequence or the true number, you simply CANNOT claim that it represents evolution.

This myth is officially #Debunked.

Thanks for reading.

Did the Hanuman Chalisa really predict the distance between the Earth and sun? (Critical analysis)

 

I'm sure we've all heard Hindus claiming how 'scientifically' superior their religion is, plus we've heard several examples from them as well, which they put out as proof for their claims. One of the more famous ones is the claim that the Hanuman Chalisa (written by Tulsidas in the 16th century) accurately predicts the distance between Earth and sun.

This claim comes from the following verse -

"Yuga-sahastra-yojana para bhanu leelyo tahi madhura phala janu"

It implies that Hanuman jumped a distance of 'yuga sahastra yojana' at the Sun, thinking it to be a sweet fruit.

The calculations made are -

1 Yug = 12000 years Sahastra = 1000 Yojana = 8 miles = 12.8 kilometres.

So yug X sahastra X yojana = 12000 X 1000 X 12.8 = 153600000

Or 153.6 million km.

This is close to the actual figure of 149.6 million calculated by NASA.

This appears to be some kind of miracle, but don't get fooled so easily.

First of all we must decide the units. Every quantity has a unit. So this figure must have one too.

Unit for yug is years, for yojana it's km and sahastra has no unit whatsoever (it's simply '1000', like 1000 books, 1000 apples, etc).

So what's the unit? Years kilometres? There is no such unit as 'years kilometres'. It can be kilometres per year, but that has a completely different meaning. So technically this calculation is wrong because it's end product has a weird invalid unit.

Let's ignore the above.

What's 1 Yug? According to a Hindu website -

Yuga (युग).—The intervening time between one yuga-sandhyapūrva and sandhyāṃśa; four in number; Kṛta, Treta, Dvāpara and Kali. The extent is of 12,000 years of celestial measure; the duration of the yugas includes sandhya, 12,000 divine years, 1,000 caturyugas make a day of Brahmā.

Did you see that? 1 yug is 12000 celestial years, not human years. According to other Hindu sources, 1 chatur yug is 4.32 million human years (Satya, Treta, Dwapar and Kali yug combined makes 1 chatur yug).

Hindus take the 12000 divine years and ignore the 4.32 million human years. That's really weird.

Let's ignore that as well.

What is 1 yojana?

The famous astronomer Aryabhatta calculated the circumference of the Earth as 4967 yojanas and the diameter as 1581 1/24 yojanas. His calculations take 1 yojana as 5 miles, not the 8 that the Hindus take in reference to this verse.

Ignoring this, we can refer to the Ramayana for the measurement of 1 yojana. The Ramayana says that the measurements of the 'Ram Setu' is 100 yojanas in length. The length of Adam's Bridge (or 'Ram Setu') is around 35 km. So 1 yojana is 0.35 km.

Then again we can refer to the Vishnu Purana for help. It states 1 gavyuti is the distance to which a cow's calling can be heard and it's approximately 3.7 km. 4 gavyutis is 1 yojana. 4 x 3.7 = 14.8 km. It is NOT 12.8 but 14.8 km. Using 14.8 km gives a value of 177.6 million km which is not even CLOSE to the actual figure.

Finally it's not as if other astronomers hadn't tried to calculate the distance. Greek astronomer Eratosthenes (276-194 BC) calculated the distance between 126 million to 168 million km. Remember this was in BC, long before the Hanuman Chalisa was written in the 16th century AD. His calculation is still far more accurate than the Chalisa one.

It's obvious that Hindus have been cherrypicking numbers to show off their 'ancient scientific prowess'. A quick analysis is enough to refute all their claims. Unfortunately many people have been deluded by them.

This myth is officially #Debunked.

Thanks for reading.

Tech Industry and the rise of grifters

 As someone in the tech industry, I think what's caused this epidemic of scammers, con men, and grifters like Musk among tech is that everyone's been trained by science fiction to think we should be running around with flying cars and sentient robot assistants by now but we clearly aren't. Whenever science fiction has technological advancements, it doesn't show it like it actually happens in slow collective research by many people but instead has it as a single guy just hammering out gigantic leaps in a night. Combine this with stories of guys who bought Apple stock when it was $1 and you've got a ton of eager people looking for a Tony Stark to be their golden ticket and plenty of con men ready to fill that role and take their money.

All of these guys focus on how their gadget is "new" and "disruptive" even when the underlying tech is decades old. Natural Language processing AI, for example, is presented as this new thing when those programs are over 50 years old! The idea that it's all just come about in the last couple years allows the Musks to misrepresent advancements as happening over months instead of decades and dismiss problems as minor glitches of an experimental technology that'll be fixed any day now instead of deeper flaws in the concept itself that have persisted for decades with much slower or even no progress at solving them.